


Cupid's Chokehold

by Jibbly



Category: The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-02-19 14:22:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2391572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jibbly/pseuds/Jibbly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The light almost blinds you. Putting a hand to shield your eyes from the sun, you try to gather your bearings. There's a bang from the sound of the guy that jumped down into the thing that carried you up. The smell hits you right after. Alpha. </p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I remembered my name

 The light almost blinds you. Putting a hand to shield your eyes from the sun, you try to gather your bearings. There's a bang from the sound of the guy that jumped down into the thing that carried you up. The smell hits you right after. Alpha. 

 

He says something that is completely lost on your ears and then you're hauled out from the steel box.  Then you are surrounded by the strong scent of strangers. Your first instinct is to run, so you do. Hitting your shoulder and pushing past the few boys that were in your way. The blood is pounding in your ears, and you hear the cheering of the crowd you left behind. 

 

But you're still disoriented, and you trip on an uneven patch of land a couple yards from the others. Your face hits the ground hard and the taste of dirt is in your mouth with the distant sound of cheering in your ears. The brightness from the world you've been thrown in dims down, and you can finally see your surroundings. You get up on shakey legs and turn every which way. Your heartbeat thunders in your ears as you process the information. 

 

There are walls trapping you.

 

=================================------

 

The brunette stays in the semi dark cage that they had put him in without resisting. He tries to figure out what's happening, but it's something he can't find the answer to with what seems like half his brain missing. There are a few more moments of silence when he hears the rustling of feet and looks up to see the door to his cell being opened. 

 

The smell of alpha hits him square in the nose and he tries to shuffle a little bit back. He maybe an alpha, but he's not crazy. He doesn't know anything about where he is or who these people are. Caution, is what his instincts are screaming at him.

 

The other alpha crouches down and lets out a calming smell. 

 

"The name's, Alby. Can you tell me anything about yourself? Where you came from?"

 

He stares at the darker boys face for a few seconds before breaking eye contact. 

 

"I can't remember anything." A feeling of complete and utter helplessness is felt when he says those words that the other alpha can't help but feel sorry for. "Where is this place?" Offering his hand with his wrist exposed to the younger male, Alby smiles.

 

"Let me show you."

 

He hesitates for a moment before taking the other's hand and allows himself to be pulled from the pit.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Alby gives him the rundown of The Glade, as it's called. In the middle of a conversation, The brunette is caught off guard by the sight of fluffy golden blonde hair first. Then, by the calming scent of warm hazelnut. An Omega.

 

The boy in front of him is almost as tall as him but slender. Incredibly warm brown eyes are looking at him. Realizing that the other is talking, he tries to pay more attention. 

 

"For a second, thought you could be a runner. Then I saw how you face planted on the grass." Alby and the newcomer chuckle to themselves, while The brunette tries to bury down the red hot embarrasment that is threatening to show on his face. There are more words spoken between the two older boys, before the blonde heads off. 

 

The brunette's light brown eyes follow after him, before the blonde turns around and laughs at him. "Oh yeah, I forgot. The name's Newt. See you round, Greenie." 

 

He's stuck in place trying to get his mind to function again, when the heavy weight of an arm comes around his shoulders and starts walking him the opposite way. The younger looks at Alby because he's laughing at him like something's funny.

 

"Yeah, I know buddy." 

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next person he meets is a smaller guy by the name of Chuck. His scent is sweet and pure. Like the smell of some kind of baked good. The smell reminds him of a child. That's basically what Chuck is.  

 

The curly haired teen explains some more on what Alby left off, but the taller's eyes keep trailing towards the large gap in the tall walls surrounding them.  He's about to ask Chuck about what's out there, but the sound of someone laughing catches his attention. He turns to where there are vine like lines with tomatoes growing from them. There are a few boys scattered there, but his attention is stolen by the same blonde he had seen earlier with Alby. He had said his name was Newt. 

 

Newt was currently trying to stop his laughing with his hand over his mouth at another guy who had fallen into the manure.

 

From what little memory Thomas had, this sight was by far the best. 

 

There is a dull pain that hits the back of his head and he turns swiftly at a pouting Chuck. The other's scent is sour and reeks of jealousy. The older boy rubs the sore spot on the back of his skull while glaring at the smaller male. "What the hell was that for, huh?!" Crossing his arms, Chuck lifted his chin. "Stop gawking and get back to work setting up your area, Greenie. Before I report you to Alby for starring at the Alpha's mate." The other says with a huff.

 

The taller brunette's mouth drops open at the omega's behavior while another part of him turns cold at the mentioning of Newt being Alby's mate. 'If they were already together, then why didn't Alby punish him earlier for looking at the omega like a love sick puppy? He had clearly been starring before." He goes back to work and  tries to secure his bedding to the post. 

 

He is kneeling at the supply bin a few minutes later to see if he can find some more rope to secure the roof, when he feels a nudge on his lower back. Turning slowly, he sees the unruly mop of hair that belongs to Chuck. The other is purposely facing away from him, but his face is completely red. 

 

Thomas is nudged again and looks down to see that Chuck is giving him some thin rope. The other's sour jealous smell is no longer there. The taller boy laughs and ruffles the other's curls. "You're such a little wierdo, man!" He has Chuck locked in a nooggie while the smaller boy is desperately trying to get away. "GET THIS GREENIE OFF OF ME!"

 

The boys close by are laughing and egging the taller boy on. Across the glade, warm brown eyes are looking at the two newest members of the Glade with affection. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The sun had gone down a while ago, and the guys said that they were celebrating his arrival to the Glade. He had smiled forcefully and helped out in preparing, but when the actual celebrating started, he quietly went to sit behind a fallen log. 

 

The bond fire shined some light on the Glade, and it felt a little bit safer if only for the light and warmth at his back. He starred at the light gray stone walls of the Glade and glared. After his little tussel with Chuck, he had tried to take a peek through the opening, but was roughly stopped by Gally. The alpha that he had first met when the box had come up. Feeling trapped and scared, he started to panic and demand why they weren't letting him go out. Then the walls had closed and everyone went back to work. But he didn't. For a long time he had just stood in front of the walls that had been opened before but were now closed. It didn't make any sense. 

 

He was snapped out of his thinking by a nudge in the leg. Looking up, his breath caught when he saw who was starting to sit down next to him. 

 

His conversation with Chuck came back to his mind and he tried to keep some distance between them so they wouldn't touch. Now if only he could get the warm sent of hazelnut out of his head, because it was playing with his heart a little. 

 

The blonde noticed his moving away and tried to give him a reassuring smile, assuming he was still scared. "Not so bad on your first day, Greenie." The brunette scoffed and side eyed the other. "Right."

 

Newt chuckled and knocked shoulders with him. A shock ran through the greenie when their shoulders brushed, making him scoot father away and look down at his hands. The blonde gave him a small smile and tried a different approach. Most alphas were calmed by friendly touches, especially by omegas, but that wasn't really working. Reaching behind himself, the omega pulled out a small jar and handed over to the other. 

 

"Here. Put some hair on your chest!"

 

The brunette took it carefully and took a gulp before immediately spitting it back out and choking. "OH MY GOD! WHAT IS THAT"

 

The blonde laughed and took back the jar. "No one really knows. It's Gally's secret." 

 

After the brunette stopped coughing, they sit in silence before Newt speaks again. "You know, your scent's changed so that's a good thing." The other looked at the blonde in confusion before Newt continued. "When we pulled you out of that box, you reeked of fear. Fear and adrenaline. Sour smell fear is, hurts the head. But now" The omega offers a breathtaking smile and the alpha has a hard time remembering how to properly breathe. "Smells more like peppermint." 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Newt talked more about the Glade and 'The Maze'. Answering some much needed questions, but not nearly enough at the same time. He also covered the positions that there were. The brunette taking a special interest in the runners. The keeper of the runners, who he remembered was named Minho and was a beta. As the conversation grew, the space between them grew smaller. 

 

They had been walking through the campsite talking, asking, and answering questions. When Gally had accidentally ran into him from a wrestle with another guy. 

 

That's how he found himself the way he had started out that morning, surrounded by people facing off with Gally. The first hit to the ground was hard and hurt like hell, but when he picked himself up cursing silently, there was Newt. Gold fluffy hair glowing in the campfire smiling and cheering along with the crowd. Their brown eyes met and the brunette took deep breath and charged for Gally again. 

 

Newt cheered from the sidelines alongside Alby, who took in the fight with a small smile. He had caught the little look the greenie had shot at the omega beside him. Leaning down to the blonde's ear, he spoke as the brunette side stepped Gally and won the round. "I think someone likes you." The blonde looked up at the darker male and then back down to the two wrestling alphas. He winced as the newest member of the glade's head hit the hard ground with a thud. Leaning into the pack Alpha and looking into dark drown eyes, the omega smiled a little. "I think I might like them, too"

 

Their attention was stolen by the greenie shouting something.

 

"Thomas! That's my name! I REMEMBER MY NAME!"

 

Alby along with the others paused a second before shouting happily the other's name. Newt hung back a little and smiled, joining the chorus of boys.

 

"Thomas!Thomas!Thomas!Thomas!"

 

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Bond Spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like the slang that they use so I kinda just use regular curse words..  
> Here it is! Chapter 2  
> Tumblr @jibblyuniverse

Thomas layed awake in bed going over the past day's events. It all seemed a little unreal, to be honest. After he had remembered his name and cheered with the other boys, there had been a loud screeching yell that had come out of the maze. It was then decided that it was time to go to bed. Now here he was, in his bunk trying not to smile at Chuck's soft snoring.

 

There were still endless questions floating around in his head, but it seemed like nobody here knew the answers to them either. Sighing, he turned over pillowing his head on top of his arm to try and get to sleep. 

 

His eyes caught on the light of two small torches a little ways across the glade. He saw the familiar profile of the pack alpha sitting up in his bunk. The other seemed to be starring out at the now closed opening of the maze, troubled.  

 

The alpha stayed sitting there for what seemed like hours, Thomas silently looking at him, before someone else entered the picture. 

 

Thomas' light brown eyes widened a fraction as he saw Newt lean against a beam next to Alby's bunk smiling tiredly. The blonde said something that looked along the lines of 'time to go to bed', and the other nodded slowly. Newt had blown out the torch on his side, while Alby rose to blow out the other one.

 

The brunette's chest hurt  a little at seeing that Newt had gotten into the Alpha's bed, but stopped when he saw that the said alpha had paused before the torch. Letting his eyes look to the other, his breath caught in his throat and a spike of fear ran through him. The dark eyes of the leader were looking at him with his eyebrows furrowed. 

 

Thomas didn't even move an inch, afraid that he would be reprimanded. But nothing happened except Alby blowing out the last torch and getting back into bed, and wrapping his blanket around him and the omega. 

 

The brunette shook as darkness flooded the glade and hid the other two. He knew the rules about mates. By all  accounts he should have been hit at the very least. Remembering the look the alpha had looked at him with, maybe by morning he would be exiled. Turning over, he tried desperately to go to sleep. He selfishly breathed in Chuck's pure child omegan scent to calm himself, and after a while, slept.

 

\--------------------------------------------------

 

When he woke up in the morning and stood at attention by his post with the newest boys waiting for the alpha to give them their assignments for the day, he was expecting to be yelled at or hell, even punched. But neither of those happened, thankfully. 

 

Alby walked up to him, and told him to help with the vineyards. Not even looking at the brunette, just walking away to do whatever the leader did. 

 

Letting out a deep breath, he smiled at Chuck who was assigned to help with gathering wood. "See you at lunch, Chuck." The curly haired boy smiled back at him and nodded, before going to his post.

 

The vineyards were on the the side of the Glade, right in front of one of the woods. A few guys were already tending to the fruit and vegetables that were hanging on the vines, and Thomas gave them all a "Good morning". He stood around awkwardly for a bit, waiting for someone to tell him what to do before the scent of hazelnut reached him. He spun around quickly to see a smiling Newt with a bucket of water in each hand walking towards him. The blonde walked closer before two boys took the buckets from his hands and walked back to their positions. 

 

"Looks like I get to boss you around for the day, huh Greenie?" Newt beemed and patted him on the shoulder. The alpha tried his best not to noticably move away from the blonde. He frowned at the omega before shifting his feet. 

 

"My name's Thomas, not Greenie." 

 

Newt paused for a second but smirked at the other. "Fine, If you don't like Greenie. then I'll just have to call you Tommy." 

 

Thomas' eyes widened and he could feel that his face was red. "Please, don't. I think that may actually be worse than Greenie."

 

The blonde's smirk only widened, and he put his hands on his slender hips. "No, you're right. You remembered your name, and you deserve to be called by it. I'm just going to call you by my version of it." 

 

Newt's eyes looked at him and they were just shining at how much fun he was having at seeing Thomas blush at his new nick name. The alpha really was helpless to do anything about it. 

 

A  cough from one of the boys on the vineyard snapped them out of their world. The beta  was pointedly looking annoyed at them both. "I think it's time to get to work. Newt, just tell him what to do before I throw one of these tomatoes at the both of you."

 

 The blonde laughed and turned back at Thomas. "He's right. Time to get to work, so you're job for today is to fetch the manure." 

 

Thomas frowned as a couple of guys snickered from behind their vines. But when he turned back to the omega, he was looking at him with that same happy look in his eyes. "FINE. Where is it?"

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

He muttered to himself as he carefully walked over a large tree root. Bucket and shovel in both hands. 

 

"Oh yeah, Thomas. Go get the manure. It's in the forest. You know where it is, even though you've never seen where it is. You'll be fine. It's not like the forest is super fucking big or anything?" 

 

The alpha said in a mocking tone as he walked through the trees trying to find said manure. He tried to use his sense of smell to tell him the general direction of where the manure was, which made his eyes water every time, because yeah gross. 

 

He turned right next to a fallen tree, and kept on muttering.

 

"Yeah, Thomas. Let me just look at you with my big stupid beautiful brown eyes and smile like the god damn sun. Because you know, I've got you wrapped around my dumb beautiful finge-"

 

He stopped when the smell of angry beta hit his nose. Looking up at a growl, he saw one of the guys looking at him with fury. The guy was a runner from the look of the harnest on his chest, and thomas barely remembering him from the night before.

 

Shocked he carefully put the bucket and shovel down and tried approaching the distressed beta. "Hey...Ben, right?" The alpha stopped as he saw the other's eyes. 

 

"This is all your fault! You did this to us!" 

 

Thomas fell back as the other charged at him, surprised by the attack. Ben grabbed his arms, pulling them to either side of his head and it felt like he was trying to break the bones. The alpha let out a shout as he felt his wrist ache and kicked the other off.

 

They both started running, Thomas trying to yell for help and Ben trailing on his heels. They fell down a ditch and wrestled before continuing to run. Thomas hearing the beta's angry growls and huffs of breath urging him to run faster. 

 

"Help!"

 

\-----------------------

 

Newt and the other gladers looked up as the overpowering smell of distress and anger hit them. There was yelling coming from the forest and the blonde felt his heart rate spike as he realized that the distress and yelling was coming from Thomas. 

 

looking across the glade to the meeting hut, he saw that Alby and Gally were already making their way towards them. 

 

After a few seconds Thomas and another boy broke out of the forest running before they both fell in a heap. the blonde grabbed for a shovel and started running towards them, fear and anxiety covering his normally warm scent. 

 

Thomas was still yelling, trying deseperately to get the furious beta off of him, when Newt swung the shovel and hit Ben straight to the head, knocking the other out. 

 

They were surrounding the scared alpha, when Alby and Gally finally reached them. The pack alpha looking at both Thomas and the unconscious Ben. "What happened?" He said looking at Thomas. 

 

The brunette was shaking as he spoke, struggling to stand up. "I- I don't know! He just saw me and started attacking me." 

 

Alby frowned and took in Ben once again, before he caught the sickly looking veins peeking from underneath the beta's shirt. His eyes were widened as he turned to Gally, lift up his shirt. 

 

The other alpha nodded before walking towards Ben and gently lifting his shirt. 

 

There was a collective gasp from the group and the scent of fear was quickly escalating. 

 

Alby cursed silently and hardened his eyes, looking back up at Gally. "Put him in the pit."

 

Ben was starting to wake up, when he was being hauled to the pit by Gally and two other alphas. "You guys are making  a mistake! Alby! Gally! please! Listen to me!"

 

Most of the pack went back to their stations visibly shaken, when Alby turned back to Thomas. Newt was right there kneeling beside the scared alpha, rubbing his shoulders and trying his best to smother him with his calming scent. Kneeling down beside the two, he looked Thomas in the eye. With his most serious and alpha tone, he asked again.

 

"What happened?"

 

"Alby, come on he was just-" Newt tried to intervene but the pack alpha shot him a look and the blonde looked away and continued to rub soothing circles on Thomas.

 

The brunette swallowed thickly and leaned a little on the touches Newt was giving him, before looking at the pack Alpha's hardened eyes.

 

"I-I went to get some more manure for the vineyards, when I saw Ben. He was just standing there, scent and eyes all wrong. I tried to approach him, cause he was starting to creep me out, but then he attacked me. He started- He was saying this was my fault. Us being in the Glade. How could THIS be my fault?" 

 

Alby felt sorry for the other as he could smell nothing but the truth. "Ben is sick right now. Don't pay too much attention to what he said." Looking down at the other alpha's arm he winced as he took in the already purpling of his wrist. Turning to his omega, he nodded.

 

"Please, take him to the medical tent to get that looked at."

 

Newt nodded and stood with Thomas, walking over to the white medical tent. 

 

Alby looked at  the two, feeling a spark of jealously in the pit of his stomach at the way the omega's hands stayed rubbing circles on the other alpha's lower back. He sighed and looked away, walking towards the meeting hut where Gally was waiting for him. 

 

"Shit."

\------------------------------------------

 

They had said that the bone wasn't broken, thankfully, but still would need a while to heal. His wrist was wrapped in white gauze and he sat on the medical bunk crouched in on himself. 

 

That had scared the shit out of him. What the hell even happened back there? 

 

Thomas was replaying the event, remembering the angry look in ben's bloodshot eyes when Newt walked back into the tent. The alpha didn't look at him, embarrassed by the way he had acted in front of the other. the word ;pathetic; came to mind.

 

"Stop that."

 

Thomas jolted as he felt the bed dip with the added weight of the omega. He turned to see that the blonde had his head down and wasn't looking at him. He tried to scoot a little away, but a shakey hand covered over his. The brunette's eyes widened as he looked at the blonde taking in his shaking frame. 

 

"Newt, are you-"

 

The omega looked up suddenly and thomas felt a pain in his chest as he saw the tears that were gathering in the corners of the other's eyes.

 

"Don't do that, again! You stupid, greenie!" 

 

Newt's face was red with anger, and some tears leaked out of the corner of his eyes. The blonde's hand left his, to wipe at them, and Thomas was at a loss on what to do. His hands twitched to console the omega, but he reminded himself of one very important fact. Newt had a mate.

 

Feeling helpless looking t the other in this state, he tried his best to speak softly to him. "Hey, now. It's okay." He gently patted the other's blonde head . "I'm okay."

 

Newt looked at him for a very long moment, before pulling the other towards him and wrapping his arms around Thomas' broad shoulders. The alpha froze, hands still in the air, as he felt the distressed omega bury his face in his neck. 

 

"I don't want to see anyone die anymore."

 

Thomas slowly let his hands fall on the other's back and neck. He could feel that his neck was wet from the other's tears and felt his heart break a little more. 

 

"Hey, now. I'm not that easy to get rid of. It's barely my first day after all, you know."

 

He felt the other make a broken laugh and smiled in return. Being so close to the other, to the other's scent was making him feel at ease. He lowered his head to the crook of Newt's neck and silently let himself breath him in, feeling the blonde doing the same. 

 

They stayed like that for awhile before, the reality of what they were doing caught up to Thomas. Slowly pushing himself away at arm's length so that they could look each other in the eye. He was relived to see that Newt had stopped crying and his eyes only a little red.

 

"Newt, I have to start keeping my distance from you." The omega's eyes widened at his words. "It's not fair to you or Alby. He's your mate, and I have to respect that. You guys are bonded."

 

Newt looked down at his hands. "No, were not."

 

Thomas felt his whole body still at the words. "What are you talking about? But, you guys, you're both-"

 

The other looked up and there was some sadness in his warm brown eyes. "It's true that we're mates, but we've never bonded. Neither of us have given each other the bond mark."

 

Thomas felt his hands go limp. "Why? Why would you guys become pack alpha and omega if you weren't going to bond?"

 

New looked very serious for a second, and looked into the alpha's eyes. "You know how every one here is happy for the most part? How all the alphas, betas, and omegas are living together peacefully even without the majority of them being bonded?"

 

The brunette nodded slowly, not sure where the blonde was going with this.

 

"Well, it wasn't always like that. Alby was the first one here, the first alpha. So when the others started coming up, it was only natural that he would become pack alpha. But the ones that had come up were only alphas and betas, at the time. I was the first omega that had come from the box."

 

"the other alphas pretty much went crazy, because when I came up, whoever sent me made sure I was in heat."

 

The blood in Thomas' veins froze at that. He could already picture how crazy it must have been. An unmated omega in heat was dangerous. 

 

"Alby was the one who broke up the fights and said I would be in his care until the end of my heat. Him and I locked ourselves in the meeting hut, so that none of the other alphas could get in. I stayed in bed for four days sweating and cursing up storm for Alby to take me, but he never did. He just stayed standing guard at the door and waited for me to get out of my heat. We went through the next few heats until he asked me outside of heat if I would become his mate. I thought about it and a week before my next heat hit, I agreed to it. After that, the boys settled down, and the both of us set down ground rules about omegas and mates. Now if an omega is approaching their heat, we make preparations to have them stay  in the hut. With or without a mate.It was hard at first, but now everyone has gotten better and there is peace."

 

Thomas stayed quiet the entire time Newt talked, taking everything in. He had a new found sense of admiration for their pack alpha. To be able to stay sober with an omega in heat was something short of a super human.But there was still something that was bothering him.

 

"But why not a bond mark?"

 

Newt smiled sadly and looked down, fingers gently grabbing Thomas' hand and entwining their fingers. "There was never a spark. Don't get me wrong. Me and Alby love each other, but it's more out of a respect and a shared position rather than what true mates feel with each other. Even after everyone settled, we stayed with each other because of our bond of friendship. But no, we never felt the urge to bond with each other like that."

 

"And then there's you, Tommy. you and your scent."

 

Thomas swallowed as he felt the other's fingers tighten around his. Heartbeat thudding in his ears as the other leaned on his shoulder, head burrowing in the crook of his neck.

 

"Wha-what about me and my scent?"

 

It was quiet for a long while before Newt spoke again.

 

"You smell like home."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing this chapter on my phone, so I hope you'll excuse any typos or anything

That night Thomas slept in the medical tent with Newt tucked into him.

Ably had talked to him once again,  before stepping outside with the blonde to discuss something. When Newt returned. There was a sad look in his brown eyes, but he smiled and told the brunette to scoot over. That no one would bother them.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Alby stood against a beam in the meeting tent ,trying to put everything that has happened to make sense. Ben had been attacked in broad daylight. Stung, no less. The sickness was already making the poor guy throw up blackened blood. Gally had pulled him into the hut straight after putting the beta in the pit. The other alpha was convinced that all this had something to do with Thomas. 

"Nothing's been right since he's been here." He had said.

He understood where Gally was coming from,  but there was no proof. Ben could have just been careless. 

The alpha's arms tightened around himself as he remembered what else Gally said.

"And don't think that I haven't noticed what's been going on with that greenie and Newt. All of a sudden he shows up and everything we've ever built,  YOU! Everything that both you and Newt have built together is being pushed aside. And you're just letting him take newt from you! You're-"

That is when Alby had gripped the other male by his shirt in fistfuls and pushed his back against the wall.

"I know you're mad and scared right now, Gally, so I'll let you off this time. But you better remember who the hell you're talking to. Do not let my calmness fool you. I am very much on edge right now."

Alby raised the other a few milimeters off the ground before speaking again. 

"And never, ever. Speak like Newt, your pack omega, is some kind of possesion again. Do. I. Make.  Myself. Clear. "

The shaken alpha nodded,  before being let go. 

"I'm sorry." 

Alby accepted the other's apology and told him to stand guard outside Ben's cell in the pit.

He stayed in the hut for a while longer, watching Gally's retreating back, before taking in a shakey breath. He shouldn't have pushed the other alpha. He would apologize later, but the stress of everything was getting to him. 

His thoughts strayed to his omega, warm and too kind for his own good. 

He remembered when the blonde had shown up in the box all those years ago. Poor bastard.

At the time there were only a handful of boys. Mostly alphas with a few betas in the mix. It had been hell for them to acknowledge him as a leader, but he had gained their trust with hard work.

The box had come up that winter with a sweating omega, reeked in the scent of heat. There was a few seconds of absolute stillness where none had even opened the box, before the sound of snarling and growls filled the air. This was the first time since that first month alone, that Alby had felt true panic. 

The alphas were at each other's throats trying to get to the box and the scared omega inside, while the betas stayed far away from the frenzy scared.

He remembers that a fist from a random alpha had hit him square in the jaw, before his eyes bled to bright red. He had calmed his breathing and fought to disarm the other. 

After that, he had the other alphas trying to pin him down, but he quickly made them submit taking only minor injuries. 

He made his way to the box where the shaking omega waited, starring up at his face.

The alpha slowly opened the metal doors and lowered himself to not startle the blonde. 

"Hey now. It's okay. I'm going to make sure no one touches you, okay?"

The blonde whimpered while Alby hooked his arms under the smaller male, seeing that he was unable to stand in his curious state. The omega tightly clutched onto him as he made his way out of the box and straight to the meeting hut. 

A few alphas' eyes glowed when he passed, the scent of heat so close to them, but no one moved.

He had given leadership to his closest beta, in his stead. Saying that he would stay and protect the new omega in the hut for the remainder of the heat. 

A small cot and a rationing of food was moved at the pack alpha's request into the hut, before he sealed the both of them inside.

\-----------------------------------------------------'-

That first night was one of the worst of his life. 

Alby sat with his back, ramrod straight, against the door. The other had been placed onto the cot, and was now whining into the sheets, three fingers thrusting into his opening. 

The alpha had tried to get some food and water into the other before night fell, because that's when heat hits the worst. But the other had just buried his nose into his collarbone and tried to get him to tie with him.

Getting a name out of the newcomer was pretty much a lost cause at this point. 

Alby drank from his canteen,  feeling his throat go dry at a particular lustful moan that the blonde made. He glared angrily at the erection clearly tenting the front of his pants.

The blonde had walked over to him several times to persuade the alpha,  but Alby just walked him right back over to the cot.

The smaller male had finally passed out when the sun was barely started to rise, and Alby rubbed his temples.

After a couple of minutes of continued sleeping from the other, the alpha decided to get some sleep of his own. Trying to make himself comfortable against the door, he feel into a fitful sleep. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------'-----

The next few nights didn't go by any easier,  but he held onto his will. 

The blonde had cried for every time the alpha rejected him. And those were the moments he almost cracked. Seeing those tears broke his heart, because he could only imagine the pain the other was going through. That the only way to relieve it was to knot, but that was not happening. 

Alby had almost cried in relief when he woke up to the clear scent of omega on the fifth morning. Heat scent lingering,  but fading quickly.

The blonde was sitting up in the cot, starring at the floor. The alpha stood up and gathered a helping of breakfast for the both of them, before gently sitting beside the other.

"You rarely ate, so I know you must be starving. " he offered when the other just curled the blanket tighter around his slender shoulders. 

The alpha nodded to himself and left a plate for the other on the bed before getting back up and heading for the door.

He had undone the lock when he heard t he other talk. 

"Thank you."

Alby turned to see that the blonde was looking at him with clear brown eyes and a serious expression on his face for the first time.

"For everything. Thank you."

The alpha offered his own small smile. 

" Don't mention it."

He walked out, and headed straight to the beta he had left in control.

Time to get back to work.

\---------------!-!---------------------------------------------------

Alby had learned the other's name was Newt, and he was a hard worker. It was tough for the alphas to let the blonde do manual labor, their instinct to keep omegas safe hard to ignore. 

There had been an instance when an alpha had tried groping the omega, but Newt had dropped him on his back in front of the whole glade. His natural speed and agility letting him quickly kick the alpha's ass.

After that, no one questioned the blonde again. 

Alby and Newt had grown to be close also. Their shared time in the hut during the next of the omega's heats, only cementing the friendship. 

It was a week before a heat when Alby had shown up at the blonde's bunk. The taller male's scent was nervous as he took in the sitting omega. He quickly took the opportunity to take in the other.

Soft golden blonde hair on top of glowing slightly tanned skin, and warm brown eyes. Newt was beautiful,  anyone would be an idiot to not think so. His natural hazelnut scent, so calming as were the majority of omegan scents. He was kind and fair. Treating everyone in the Glade equally and with respect.  

They had grown into close friends.

Newt looked at Alby questioning but smirking at the Alpha's discomfort. 

"Why are you looking like you're about to throw up?"

Alby let out a shakey laugh.

"Cause I'm nervous as hell."

The blonde raised an eyebrow and turned to fully face the other.

"Why the bloody hell are you so nervous? "

Taking a deep breath,  he motioned for newt to scoot over. He sat down and starred at his feet.

"Newt, I got something to ask you. It's something important and I want you to really think about it. "

"Now you're making me a nervous wreck, Alby."

The alpha turned his head so that they were clearly looking at one another. 

"Newt, I want to ask you, if you'll be my mate."

The alpha clearly saw the other's eyes widen when he asked, and he held his breath. 

"Alby, I -"

He gripped the blonde's smaller hand and looked earnestly. 

"I want you to think about it, kay? Even if you say no, I won't treat you any differently. I just want you to give it some time."

Newt was still for a long time before nodding.

"I'll think about it,  yeah."

\-----------------------------------------------------------

The day before his heat, Newt went to Alby's bunk and nodded.

"I've thought about what you've said. About us. Given it a lot of thought,  you know?"

The alpha stayed sitting and nodded, not wanting to speak just yet.

"Would we- would we have to bond with each other right away? "

The blonde was looking away, eyebrows furrowed and nervous scent filling the air. 

Getting up from his bed, Alby walked over to the other and gently put his hands on his shoulders. 

"We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. We'll take it as slow as you want. :

Newt let out a shakey breath as he looked into his pack alpha's eyes. There wasn't even a sniff of a lie in his scent.  Just the clear smell of rain.

"Okay."


	4. I don't want to see anyone die anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, it's been a long ass time. Sorry for that.  
> I don't really remember the correct order of events that happened in the movie so forgive me if they're jumbled here.  
> I'm typing on my phone again, cause I just haven't been able to get a hold on a computer recently.

Thomas felt warm. That's the first thing he noticed when he woke up. The next was that the was a person sleeping next to him. He slowly opened his eyes, taking in the hints of sunlight of early morning, before looking down at his partner.

The smile that spread over his face seeing how peacefully Newt was sleeping couldn't be stopped even if it wanted to. 

The events of what happened and everything that was said the night before, came back to him and he shut his eyes. Newt and him clearly liked each other. And if what the blonde had told him last night was true, then they potentially had a bond spark. Which was just something out of this world for the brunette right now.

He took in a lungful of the other's scent and felt his body melt like butter. This moment in time. This thing he was feeling right now. Imagining this happening every day and him getting to wake up like this every morning blew his mind.

Thomas brought a hand up to the other's face and gently stroked his cheekbone.

Thomas could honestly say, that he in this moment, he is happy. So insanely happy. 

Newt stirred awake and his eyes opened after a few seconds. A little hazy with confusion about where he was at first, they cleared when they landed on the alpha's light amber eyes.

A sleepy smile spread on the other's face.

"Good morning."

Thomas chuckled. "Good morning, yourself. "

"You've been awake long?"

"Nah, just got up a few minutes ago."

There was silence for a while before Newt spoke again. 

"I don't feel like moving just yet" the blonde said with an embarrassed smile.

Thomas only smiled harder and ruffled the other's hair. "Yeah me neither." Picking up his injured wrist, so the other could see, he wiggled it slightly still wincing. "Think Gally will let me sleep in on account of this bad boy?"

Newt smirked. "Not even if your whole arm was broken."

"That guy's got it in for me, I swear."

The blonde just smiled before rolling over on his back. "Well, he'll have to wait in line. Because I saw you first, Tommy."

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's presence,  when a dark thought came.

"What's gonna happen to Ben?"

Newt tensed and it felt like he wouldn't even answer the question, but after a few seconds it came.

"Tonight right before the glade closes, he'll be pushed into the maze."

It felt like all the blood in his body froze. Previous moment's happiness gone.

The alpha was about to say something,  when Gally started the morning alarm to wake every one up.

"Another beautiful day on the Glade, Tommy"

Newt said as he rose up from the bed, but all signs of happier from him was gone. And when thomas caught a glimpse of the other's eyes, they seemed to be dead.

_________________________________________________

 

There wasn't much he could do with one arm, so he was paired up with Chuck to fetch water. 

Gally made an off handed comment of "try not to get assaulted again,  greenie". Which earned him a chuff on the head by Alby.

As both he and chuck made there way to get the pails, they passed a group of runners. Each one looking more pale than the other, all except for Minho who was currently talking to Alby.

"Why are they just sitting there? The doors already opened this morning."

Chuck looked in the direction of the huddle of boys before looking straight.

"If I had to guess, I'd say they're spooked."

"Spooked? "

The small omega's curls bounced with his nod. "Yeah. I mean. With what happened yesterday with Ben, I think everyone on the whole dang glade is spooked. Never seen a person get stung in daylight. "

Thomas felt the pit of his stomach go all weird at the words, and looked towards the pit. There were two alpha's currently standing guard on either side of the cell that Ben was in. There wasn't any yelling or screaming like there had been the night before. And some how, Thomas felt that this silence was worse.

They reached the supplies hut and grabbed a large pail each, before heading in the direction of the water.

There was silence for a while before Chuck spoke.

"Uh, Thomas. Not to pry or anything. "

The alpha looked down to see that the other's face was red.

"What is it?"

Chuck's scent was all over the place with his nervous energy. 

"I've been wondering since assigning, but. Why do you smell like Newt?"

Thomas almost tripped over grass, quickly recovering from a possible faceplant.

"Wha-what?"

"It's just, you smell like him. Like a lot. Reek is more like it. And I'm just,  well. You and newt, you're. ..he's"

""CHUCK PLEASE STOP TALKING YOURE EMBARRASSING US BOTH"

"LIKE THIS IS EASY FOR ME"

"CHUCK FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST STOP"

They both we're stammering red faced messes when they reached the stream. Thomas thinking about if what Chuck said was true, then that means that the whole Glade probably knows that he and Newt slept together last night. He was right in front of Gally! OF ALBY!

"THOMAS, YOURE SPLASHING WATER ALL OVER THE PLACE" 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

The day passed by quickly, with Chuck to keep him company. But the fun from the day turned somber when it was time to get Ben out.

The guy had dark veins running up and down his body, and when they threw him near the entrance of the maze, he fell on his knees and started puking black blood. 

Thomas hung back with Chuck seeing the whole thing. He placed a hand through the small omega's curls as the sharp smell of fear and sorrow ran through Chuck's scent.

Newt was one of the boys holding a rod to push Ben further into the maze when the tell tell sound of whistling air burst through the doors. The pack omega's face totally devoid of emotion,  but that only broke Thomas heart more. 

"I don't want to see anyone die anymore"

Newt's words from last night ran through his head as he pushed Ben with the others.  The frantic beta pleading at them.

When the doors finally closed, everything in the glade was still for what felt like an eternity. Then the boys slowly started to leave the maze doors one by one till there was only four guys left.

Gally, Minho, Newt and Alby were standing in their exact same spots.

He couldn't see Newt's face from how the other was standing. Alby finally moved to give Gally his post and Minho left with Newt's.

The alpha slowly walked up to the other, before pulling him into a tight hug. The omega clutched onto the broad shoulders of their pack alpha and started sobbing into his arms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little bit sort but I'll be posting again quickly so I hope it'll make up for it.  
> Also, Teresa in the next chapter


	5. scentless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minho in here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha well then

_Tha_ t night at dinner, everyone was quiet and the air smelled heavily of sadness and fear. Ben's screams long since gone.

 

Thomas was sitting on the log that he had been at his first night on the glade. It had unofficially become his go to place to eat. He ate another spoonful of stew, and tried to keep his eyes from going to where newt and alby were. After the maze had closed, the blonde had not left the alpha's side. The air around the omega was gray and miserable, and it made Thomas' heart clench. 

 

Alby was just right there with him, offering small loving touches and letting his scent cover his omega.

 

 He would be lying, if he said seeing Alby and Newt so close together and how the blonde went to the other for comfort didn't hurt him. shoving another spoonful of stew, he forced his gaze away when newt buried his head under alby's neck.

 

There was a shift next to him and he was surprised when he saw the person who was sat down next to him.

 

Minho was like a solid weight. In that he completely consumed his attention with his presence. The black haired male was currently eating a piece of bread and was casually leaning back. Out of habit, Thomas tried to pick out the other's scent and possibly why he was next to him. But he furrowed his brows as he couldn't pick up anything.

 

"That's pretty damn rude, ya know"

 

Thomas started as the other was looking him dead on, his expression giving nothing away. "Sorry, just kind of a habit." The brunette looked back down at his bowl feeling awkward at having been caught trying to scent the other. 

 

There was a loud sigh, before Minho stretched his arms behind his back. "Jesus, greenie. You're too damn tense. This whole nervous and depressed energy you're putting out is upsetting my stomach."

 

Thomas looked at the other again, and couldn't help feeling a little annoyed. What the hell did this guy want? He kept on looking at the black haired male for awhile, till he noticed that he was looking at something. Following his line of sight, he mentally kicked himself when it lead to where newt and alby were.

 

"You know who I am, right shuck face?" Minho asked, still looking at the pack alpha and omega. Thomas nodded."you're the keeper of the runners. You're name's Minho" 

 

"Yup, but all the good that'll so now that everyone's scared shirtless because of what happened to Ben. Not one of em, will go back into that damn maze."

 

Thomas eyes widened at the topic of conversation they were having. "So what are you going to do? If none of them go again?"

 

Minho was quiet for a long time, before speaking again, lookin a lot more tense.

 

"I'm going to have to tell Alby, and knowing that idiot, he'll probably say he'll go too." 

 

Thomas could feel a cold chill run up his spine. "But alby's not a runner."

 

Black eyes looked into his amber eyes. Nothing but dead seriousness. 

 

"No. He isn't. And both him and newt know that."

 

Thomas forgot that he had a bowl in his hand and had to stop from dropping it as what was being said to him sunk in.

 

"Both Alby's and Newt are this pack's leaders. They know that the runners have stopped going in the maze, and that that can't happen. If the runners stop, then the rest of the pack will lose hope."

 

The alpha felt his throat go dry as he turned back to where the two were. They were holding each others hand tightly, but nothing about the face newt was making seemed peaceful.

 

"They know that whatever attacked Ben will more than likely attack whoever goes into the maze next."

 

Thomas let his gaze go back to Minho. 

 

Alby was going in the maze tomorrow morning with Minho. And there was a strong possibility that neither of them were going to come back. 

 

"You know that Newt used to be a runner?"

 

Thomas snapped out of the inner turmoil hat was starting to happen in his head. 

 

"Newt was a runner?"

 

"Yeah, and a damn good one too."

 

Thomas swallowed as the next question popped into his head.

 

"Why isn't he anymore?"

 

Minho had a far off look in his eyes as he shifted his gaze from the pack leaders to the walls of the maze.

 

"He tried climbing out. Up the walls, with the vines. But he fell, hurt his leg real bad, and for awhile we thought he wasn't gonna make it."

 

The conversation the day before that he had had with the blonde came back to him.

 

"What about climbing to the top?"

 

"We tried it. Didn't work."

 

Minho started talking again. "So imagine what must be going through his head, right now. He knows that his mate is going in the maze tomorrow. When it used to be his job to do these things."

 

The other started getting up, leaving thomas with his head hurting. minho gave one last look at the alpha on the ground smelling his distress, before saying something else.

 

"And don't hurt yourself trying to find my scent. I don't have one"

 

Thomas's head shot up at the other's retreating back.

 

What the hell did that mean? What did he mean he didn't have a scent?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason for minho not having a scent will be explained soon.  
> This is short cause I'm gonna write another chapter this weekend. For reals


	6. tense

Dinner was somber and tense for most of the pack. Newt constantly squeezing the other male's hand for a small grounding to reality. He saw that the runners weren't wearing their harnesses anymore. Which meant that they had no intention of using them any time soon. 

 

And if he noticed, then no doubt in his mind that Alby did too.

 

Every now and then he would sneak glances at Thomas sitting at the log that he occupied his first night on the glade. The other alpha was jealous, and it pained the blond. 

 

Alby threaded his hand through Newt's hair and the gesture helped sooth his nerves. He buried his nose in the crook of the other's neck and inhaled deeply. Alby was here. Strong, smart, and making every thought in his head feel safe. 

He was nudged so that the alpha could whisper in his ear. 

"I'm going to head off to bed."

newt's head lifted and he met the dark chocolate of alby's eyes.

 

"I'll go with you."

 

There was a few seconds of silence where the people that had been around them left, picking up on the atmosphere. Then the alpha smiled a little brokenly and kissed the blonde's forehead.

 

"You know that I'll never say no to you"

 

Newt felt his eyes flutter at the warm pressure of the kiss that was so innocent but held so much love. He felt the other stand and followed him up. 

 

"Let's go then." Alby was still holding his hand, when they told the others they were hitting the hay. Newt let his gaze wonder back to where Thomas had been and saw that Minho was standing up from sitting next to the other, and walking away.

 

There was a panicked expression on the other alpha's face and they accidentally locked gazes for a second. 

 

The pull the omega felt was still there, stronger than ever, but right now Thomas would be fine. 

 

He felt a slight tug from his arm and saw that Alby was looking in Thomas's direction blankly. "You could-"

 

Newt grasped the alpha's hand more firmly and continued walking, but not heading towards the sleeping area anymore.

 

"Newt, where are you-"

 

"We both know what's your bloody dumb face is gonna do tomorrow morning."

 

The meeting hut came into view and realization hit the alpha."Newt?"

"I want to."

The were standing at the entrance and were face to face with each other. 

 

Alby wanted to argue that the other was just feeling distressed about the situation, but another selfish part of him, wanted to have his omega to himself. Away from the greenie's eyes. 

 

"If you're sure."

The blonde nodded and leaned in for a kiss, before turning the handle to the hut.

 

"Don't act like your dumb bloody arse can make me do anything"

 

The alpha laughed out loud, following the other into the hut and shutting the door.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thomas's heart sank when he saw both newt and Alby head into the meeting hut together. Knowing full well what that meant, and apparently so did everyone else by the conversations going on around him.

 

He took another hard swig of the acid liquid in his hands before standing up. Deciding to turn in to his bed himself. 

 

He was making his way across the small bonfire in the center, when a heavy weight and an all to familiar scent settled around him.

 

"Aw, where ya going greenie! The night's still young."

 

Never had Thomas wanted to hit someone so hard in the face before, or at least, as far as he could remember. Shoving, Gally's hand from his shoulder, he tried to continue walking.

 

"Don't be like that, shuck face. Why you wanna go to a cold bed all alone, when you got us all here to keep you company?"

 

Thomas knew that he was at least a little smart, so he knew he was being baited by the other alpha. But he was wound up so tight with everything that's happened, and Gally making a low jab about what newt and Alby were probably doing right now across the glade just set he off. 

 

The tackled Gally to the floor.

 

The others immediately started to pull them off each other. but not before each of them got a few good hits on the other.

 

Gally's nose was bleeding and his upper lip was split. "You son of a bitch. I should have you banished from here! You piece of-"

 

Minho cuffed Gally upside the head to shut the other up. Thomas nursed his eye that was probably swelling up already, to see that Minho stepped between both of them.

 

Looking at the rest of the pack he started talking "I think we can all agree that this was just a misunderstanding, and that neither of these I do it's will do it again." Then the black haired male looked at both Thomas and Gally. "Am I right?"

 

There was definitely a threat to the other's tone, and by the way Gally's shoulders tensed, he sensed it too.

 

"Yeah."

 

"Yes"

 

"Good. Now, I think it's time for lights out. Goodnight"

 

There were a few hushed "good nights" from some of the guys, but most of them scurried away from the three of them. 

 

Frypan was trying to get a look at Gally's face, but the other male just brushed him off and stalked away.

 

Thomas was left alone with Minho before he knew it. 

 

The other probably saw how uncomfortable he was, and took pity. "You should go wash your face before going to bed."

 

Thomas looked away before nodding. "Thanks for right now."

 

Minho actually out right laughed. "Someone's gotta keep all you klunk for brains alphas in line, or the whole glade would tear itself apart."

 

The sentence made thomas remember how the other had had no scent and about him saying he didn't have any.

 

Feeling a nervous pit in his stomach, Thomas turned back to look at Minho.

 

"Minho, who exactly are you?"

 

The other's face went blank, and Thomas felt he had stepped over a line. Which he didn't doubt with his luck.

 

Minho let out a big huff of breath, before crossing his arms over his chest.

 

"Remember how I told you I don't have a scent?"

 

Thomas nodded

 

"Well, its true. I don't. Other than sweat or sometimes crap, I don't produce scents like the rest of you do. Always been that way."

 

The brunette's mind had about a million questions rushing through it, but the only one he asked was.

 

"Why?"

 

"I know that I'm a beta. Don't got no knot, nor heats. So that part's easy. But the first week I was here, I could have swore I was an alpha. I almost went into rut when I smelled an omega going into heat. But then it just stopped"

 

"what do you mean it stopped?"

 

"It wasn't like poof gone. I was in the med hut for a good three days sweating, and puking my lungs out. Threw up some nasty green shit. No one knew what it was, but after I stopped throwing up, my scent went away completely and I was a beta."

 

Thomas didn't know what to say. 

 

Minho's arms tightened, the veins bulging at the pressure.

 

"If I had to take a guess, I say those asshole who put us here did something to me. Tried to change my gender before sending my ass up here."

 

A Griever screeched from the other side of the maze walls, and broke the moment of stunned silence that the alpha was having.

 

Minho looked towards the sound, before letting his arms drop and turning back to Thomas.

 

"Get some sleep."

 

Thomas could only numbly nod once before turning to the direction of his sleeping quarters.


	7. bring him back to me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Main Tumblr @ jibblyuniverse   
> Art Tumblr @jibblyart  
> Instagram@ JibblyUniverse

Both newt and alby laid on their sides facing each other. They had made slow and tender love to each other, but now there was only their even breathing and the sparse light coming in from the rising sunlight. Neither of them had slept.

They breathed in each other. In. Out. In. Out.

Before newt broke the long silence and brought up the elephant in the room.

"I don't want you to go."

Alby smiled, but it was sad and hollow. "You know i have to." The blonde furrowed his brows and felt tears well up in his eyes. "If someone has to go into that damn maze for a suicide mission, then I'll go!" The other male's scent sharpened and his hand went behind to cup the side of the blonde's face. "No. I'm pack alpha, and this is part of that responsibility." His thumb stroked the other's cheekbone. "And who says that this is a suicide mission, huh?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood with a playful tone. 

"Don't be like that, right now. Don't pretend that there's not a real chance of you not coming back. You or Minho. The attacks are getting closer together and it's too dangerous to be in the maze right now. " 

The alpha took in the angry tone and the worry and fear in his mate's eyes, and couldn't help but feel happy. He had someone who loved him this much. Someone this amazing. 

"And what would you have me do?"

There was a second of surprise in Newt's eyes before he spoke again. " keep everyone out of the maze, for now. Wait. Maybe after a while, the grievers will be less aggressive and it'll be safer to go back."

"And what if they don't."

There was panic and hopelessness in the blonde's eyes now. The gathering tears finally starting to spill from the corners. His scent soaked in desperation.

"Then we stay here! All of us. We don't need to go out. It's been years, and there's no sign of a way out. Maybe there isn't even one!"

Alby let newt lash out and waited for his breathing to even out again. It was never easy, seeing his precious omega cry. To be in so much distress and pain. But things aren't easy. Especially, not for them.

He brought his arm around the shaking blonde's shoulders and pulled him into himself. The omegas head tucked securely in his neck.

"Everything you just said is the reason i need to go. Why the runners need to keep mapping. If everyone thinks that there's no way out, then they will lose hope. And that's just something we can't afford to lose if we want to survive. "

Newt's shoulders shook harder, and a small whine escaped him as he clutched onto his alpha. 

"You're my mate, newt. My second in command, and this pack's omega. You need to be the strongest of everyone. They will need your comfort and support tomorrow. So you can't panic. You need to to get everyone to work and keep this glade together. More than me, more than anyone. You are the most important person to this pack, right now. "

Alby's voice become throatier and tears of his own welled up as he clutched onto his distressing omega. 

"And if something does happen to me, tomorrow or in the future. You need to keep being strong for everyone. You need to keep the hope alive."

The alpha paused as he burrowed his face in the other's hair. A flash of Thomas came into his mind. How the other was curious. Asked too many questions. And had captured Newt's heart as soon as the box was opened.

"You need to be strong for me, Newt."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minho was quiet when they showed up in front of the doors. Alby looking determined with a burrowed harness, while the hard set of Newt's shoulders contradicted the nervousness of his scent. 

The beta never question his pack alpha. But seeing and being a part of this broke his heart. 

The tell tale groaning of the gates starting to open drew his attention away from the other two as he shuffled his feet. His breathing getting deeper to calm himself. He wasn't  an idiot. He knew that there was a real chance that both of them could end up getting attacked, but he had a job to do. And an act to keep up, so that the pack didn't suspect anything. 

When he had told alby that the entire maze was entirely  mapped out, every single crack and crevice searched, but no way out. THe alpha's scent had gone deathly still. The pact made that day by the runners and Alpha, that they would continue running like nothing was wrong. That no one could find out. 

The memories came back to Minho when he looked back at his pack omega. Tall and lovely. The black haired male wondered if Alby ever told newt. About the truth. How they were running in circles. Lying to everyone. 

The doors finally began to open and Minho saw the blonde walk towards him and put his hands on the beta's shoulders. Obsidian met warm brown.

"Bring him back to me, Minho. Please."

The amount of responsibility he was handed in that moment could choke everyone in the glade with it's weight. He could only nod and promised to try. The words hurt newt, but they were the best he could offer.

There were no guarantees out here. Not for any of them.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas saw Newt and Alby hug, before Minho and the alpha took off into the maze.

There was no way to hear what had been said those minutes before the doors opened, but the alpha had an idea. 

Seeing the two going into the maze made his pulse spike. The curiosity was driving him insane. He needed to go into that place.


	8. shitSHIT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm trash

To say that Thomas was frigeting was an understatment.

  
Everyone in the glade had woken up an hour after Alby and Minho had left through the gates of the Maze. There was a noticable tension throughout the entire pack, but no one said a single word. Knowing that the absence of the pack's alpha was noticable, Newt and Gally were going on like nothing was wrong.

The taller alpha was standing next to Newt with a clipboard in his hands, and from the embarrased flush on his face, as trying to put out a comforting scent for the others.

  
Gentleness was not Gally's fortay. At All.

  
That job was better suited for the pack omega, but even though his face gave nothing away, Thomas had seen the blonde chew on his nails and his foot was constantly tapping aginst the dirt floor.

  
When Gally and Newt had gone down the line and finally stopped at Thomas to give him his task for the day, the brunette alpha was pracically vibrating out of his skin. The other alpha noticed this and huffed.

  
"You got something to say, greenie? Spit it out, before you give me motion sickness."

  
Thomas frowned and stood up a little straighter, trying to be as big as he could be.

"My name is Thomas."

  
Gally smirked and flipped a page on the clipboard. "Greenie. What the hell do you want?"

  
Thomas glared at the other's continous refusal to call him by his name, but decided to just drop it for another time. "I want to be assigned to the runners."

  
The smirk fell right off of Gally's face, and there was a visable stiffening in Newt's shoulders beside him. The blonde omega hadn't really been making eye contact with the brunette. Focusing on a spot above his shoulder or a point in between his eyes. Those eyes were looking at him now.

  
"No."

  
Gally stared down at Thomas, that single word leaving his mouth with every single bit of alpha fiber in it. Some of the betas that were next to Thomas averted their eyes and took a step back.

  
Thomas took a step forward and stood toe to toe with Gally. "Why the hell not?"

  
The other alpha let out a growl and looked like he was getting ready to fight the alpha when a hand grabbed his upper arm, holding him back.

  
Newt stepped in front of Gally and was between the two heated alphas. Thomas took a step back as he took in the seriousness of the blonde's face.

  
"You need to be asked to join the runners.

There are no exceptions. "

  
Feeling helpness, the brunette opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off when Newt turned around to Gally and took the clipboard from him.

  
"Thomas, you are to help gather firewood for dinner today."

  
Newt didn't look at him anymore as he walked to the next person in line to give them their task.

  
Thomas stood frozen as he processed what had just happened, ignoring Gally's triumphant smirk. Where was the Newt that he woke up to in that medical tent? God, that already felt like it was weeks ago. The alpha swallowed a lump in his throat. Ever since Ben had been pushed into the maze, Newt had been avoiding him.

  
The night before. At dinner and there was no lying to himself about what the pack alpha and omega had been up to when they left the bonfire. He knew that the situation with Alby going into the maze must be messing with the blonde's emotions and head right now, but it still stung. Newt had been so open and warm, but now was like a closed blind.

  
And to make it worse, fucking Gally was helping him like a temporary pack alpha.  
Gally and Newt were almost done with the line of boys, and seeing how stotic newt upset him.

  
'fuck'

  
He kicked a tuff of grass beneath his foot and stormed off to where he was to start gathering wood.

  
When Thomas was out of the immeadiate area, Newt out a shaky breath. They finished with the last boy, and walked towards the meeting hut to put the clipboard back and to gather some tools for their own post.

  
Gally tried not to make his worry about how Newt let his scent go a little in the empty space of the hut. The smell of worry and anxiousness nearly choking the alpha. Gally went over the clipboard and sighed, a little annoyed at what he was about to do.

  
Newt was currently leaning against a post and had a hand against his temples. He felt a migraine coming along. a shadow fell over him and he looked up to see a frowning Gally.

"What is it?"

  
the alpha looked increasingly uncomfortable, before he crossed his arms over his chest and huffed looking away.

  
"I got wood chopping duty today, but I don't want to be breathing the same air that that good for nothing greenie is breathing. I might catch stupid or something from being around him."

  
Newt was staring at the other confused. The alpha felt his face heat up as his voice broke a little.

  
"I-I'm saying! is that I don't want to be around that guy. So I was thinking you could switch with me today."

  
The blonde's eyes widened and there was a long period of silence that stretched over the hut, where Gally feared the worst.

  
'Shit!SHIT! What if Newt doesn't want to see that freakin greenie? Shit. I just made this so fucking awkward and just-FUCK!'

  
The alpha was internally having panic attack about upsetting his pack omega, and was just about to start apologizing when he heard the blonde laugh.

  
It was a short huff of breath, but a laugh all the same. Newt leaned his head back on the post and smiled up at Gally. "Yeah, wouldn't want you two to tear each other's throats out. I swear, you alphas are just ridiculous."

  
Gally felt his eyes soften in response to Newt's relieved scent and hoped he wouldn't regret this. He probably would. Cause that freakin greenie was involved. He gathered his new supplies and headed towards his regular builder group, leaving Newt alone in the hut.

  
Newt let his eyes close, and slid down the post until he was sitting on the floor. He spent a few minutes listening to the sound of himself breathing before he ran a hand through his face and sighed. He turned towards the machetes and axes.

  
"Guess I can't avoid him anymore."


	9. make it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, i haven't updated in months.........

Thomas lifted his head when an all too familiar scent was coming closer to where he was currently picking an axe to help chop wood. Turning around, his eyes widened when he saw that Newt was coming towards him. The two betas that were assigned with him, walked past him and picked out a tree to start cutting. The omega gave him a strained smile and took out the machete that he had strapped to his back. “You gonna stand there all day, Tommy?”

Thomas could feel his face heat up a little, but there was still a lot of confusion directed towards the blonde. Newt stopped next to him, and Thomas could smell the stress in the other’s scent. He was trying to reel it in, but being this close, it made Thomas flinch.

“Mind helping me out?” Newt turned his back so that the other two wouldn’t see how his expression was pained.

Alby came to Thomas’ mind, and how the alpha was running in the maze to find out what happened with Ben. Here was Newt, anxious and stressed, trying to be strong for everyone in the glade.

“Yeah. I mean, no, I mean…” Newt was smiling at his floundering, and Thomas couldn’t help but feel warmth in his chest. “I’ll do whatever you need.” It was Newt’s turn to blush and he let out a laugh.

“Come on then, Tommy boy.”

==============

The talked through the morning, Newt actually talking to him a little more on the pack dynamic and why Alby was out there. There was a moment when he and Newt had been taking the wood to a shed, that the blonde had squeezed his hand.

_“I know that I’m being all kinds of shit to you right now, but I’m just…I need to be strong for everyone.”_

It had started to rain in the afternoon, so everyone was huddled either in the meeting hut or the sleeping quarters.

It had been a couple of hours, and the rain didn’t let up, so Frypan and a couple of the other boys handed out sandwiches. Newt had refused his sandwich to which Fry was about to protest, but a stern look from the omega made him close his mouth. The beta was about to walk to the next person, when Thomas quietly told him that he would make sure Newt ate. Fry gave the alpha a grateful smile, and handed him Newt’s sandwich.

Thomas tried to hide the food under his shirt, but when he came to stand newt to Newt the other knew. “Stealing food’s not going to win you any points with Gally.”

Thomas actually laughed. “This is for you, you shit. I promised Fry I would make sure you ate something. Try not to make a liar out of me.” Thomas bumped shoulders with the other, and saw that he had a small smile. Then Newt went back to starring at the entrance of the Maze.

=======

The rain had turned into a strong sprinkle, and it was late afternoon.

Thomas’ leg was bouncing up and down as he stood next to Newt, looking at the doors to the Maze as well.

“What if they don’t make it?”

He knew it was a shitty thing to say, but it was getting late. Everyone was thinking along those lines, because the smell in the glade reeked of worry.

“They’re gonna make it.” Newt said, not moving a muscle from where he was leaning against a beam.

“Yeah, but what if they don’t?”

The blonde turned his head, so he could glare at him. “They gonna make it.”

======

The sun was going down over the walls of the Maze and everyone was huddled around the doors, fear creeping into everyone’s scents. They had been waiting for an hour, but there was still no sign of Minho or Alby.

Newt stood in the middle of the entrance, fist covering his mouth tightly, entire body tense. Thomas felt like he was going to jump out of his own skin. Why wasn’t anyone doing anything?

He turned to Newt, voice hushed so that the others wouldn’t hear. “Can’t somebody go in after them? “

“No. Only runners are allowed in the Maze. “

The blonde turned his head, so that he was looking in Thomas’ eyes. “Plus, it’s too late to send someone in. They wouldn’t even know where to start looking for them.”

There was the loud whistling that came from inside the Maze, along with the strong gust of air. Thomas saw Newt’s fist turn white, as the doors started to close. Some of the other gladers turned away, not wanting to see someone shut in the maze.

Thomas stared into the Maze, willing someone to come into view. He was about to lose hope and turn around, but the scent of hurt and injured caught his scent. He felt his entire body go still as he saw Minho.

“Guys! They’re there!” He rose up his hand to point and everyone turned back to see. Newt was beside him in a second, eyes wide and scent spiked. “Something’s wrong.”

Minho was carrying Alby, but at the rate they were going they would never make it.

Thomas felt like time was slowing down as he looked around himself, seeing the gladers yelling at the two inside to hurry. Thomas stopped at Newt’s terrified face as the omega stated what everyone knew.

“They’re not gonna make it.”

The walls to the doors were almost shut, and when Thomas saw Minho fall to his knees and drop Alby, he made up his mind.

His body moved forward, in the back of his mind he felt the tips of Newt’s fingers touch his back along with an anguished. ‘No!’, but he rushed through the opening. The adrenaline pumping through his veins as he barely made it.

He almost smiled.  He did it. He was in the Maze.

“Congratulations.”

Thomas whipped his head up, almost having forgot that Minho and Alby were in the Maze with him.

“You just killed yourself.”

“What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter in two weeks


	10. Chapter 10

_“Thomas, hurry up!” Minho screamed as the walls started to close around the alpha, the Griever hot on his trail._

_“Don’t look back!” Sweat was glistening down both of their bodies and Thomas felt dread settle in his stomach when the sides scraped against his sides._

_“Thomas!”_

_\---------------------------------------------------------------------------_

He fiddled wit the small wooden trinket in his hands, as he stole glances at his pack omega. Chuck had been the only one Newt had allowed near him that night, as he shut himself off in the meeting hut after the gates of the maze had closed.

_Gally had tried to talk to him, but was thrown out._

_Chuck had had trouble sleeping that night, thoughts clouded by three of his pack being stuck in the maze. Thomas was still new, a greenie, but they got along really well. The chance of those doors opening and none of them coming out caused him to whimper and rise from his bunk._

_Even though, everyone knew that Newt wanted to be alone in the hut, he still went towards it, and raised his fist to timidly knock against the locked door._

_“Newt?”_

_There was no answer, but he doubted that the other omega was asleep. “Could I come in?”_

_There was a long stretch of silence, and Chuck was almost about to turn around to return to his bunk for a night of restlessness, when he heard some shuffling from the other side of the door._

_“What do you want, chuck?”_

_The younger omega thought about what he wanted to say, nerves causing his scent to fluctuate._

_“I can’t sleep.”_

_There was more movement behind the door, before the shuffling came closer and the door opened enough for Newt to be seen. Chuck’s eyes widened as the other’s scent hit him. It was pure anguish. This is why he shut himself away from the rest of the pack. If the smelled him, there would be panic._

_“Why are you here, Chuck?”_

_Coming back to himself, the short brunette maintained eye contact with the blonde._

_“I wanted to see how you were doing.”_

_Newt’s eyes took on a sharp edge. “I’m fine. Goodnight, Chuck.”_

_He was about to close the door, when Chuck stuck his foot between it._

_“You’re not fine, Newt.”_

_The blonde’s edge washed away, and his shoulders deflated in defeat. “I’m not.”_

_Chuck eased the door open and took a tentative step inside, seeing Newt turn away from him and back into the hut._

_Now that he was able to see the rest of the hut, he realized why the blonde had only opened the door enough to show himself. It was a wreck inside._

_He didn’t remember hearing any noise coming from in here, but looking around at all the destruction, there was no doubt that the omega had done this. The whole area reeked of grief and anger._

_“Do you want me to stay with you?”_

_The blonde took a seat on one the benches, and looked up at Chuck. The brunette felt a shiver run down his spine as it felt like those normally warm brown eyes were empty._

_“If you want.”_

Now it was barely started to light up outside as the dawn came, and Newt hadn’t moved from his spot on the ground where he was lying down, facing the wall. Chuck hadn’t slept at all, and he knew Newt didn’t either.

Turning the wooden figure over in his hands once more, he stood up and waited in the middle of the hut. “I’m going to wait outside the gates. Do you want to come with me?”

There was no movement from the other omega.

“They could have made it.”

“No, they couldn’t have. Nobody survives a night in the maze.”

The flat response came immediately. Chuck felt his heart break for his pack omega. Thomas was kind of starting to be his friend, but Newt. Alby was Newt’s mate. And Minho was his best friend. And Thomas.

Thomas was something to the blonde, he didn’t know what yet, but he could see it in the way they the alpha and omega looked at each other.

He still had to hope. If he lost that, then what was even the point of surviving?

“It’s Alby, Minho, and Thomas. If anyone can survive that place, it’s those three.”

Newt was quiet, and remained quiet until Chuck decided to leave the hut to start walking towards the gates.

The Sun was barely starting to light up the glade, and chuck was standing in front of the doors. A few other boys had seen him, and followed, not standing as close as him.

There was the telltale groaning noise of the gates starting to open, when he heard someone step beside him.

He looked up, and saw that Newt was there. The life not back in his eyes, but at least he was there. He shot a few quick glances at the other boys who were waiting as well, and could see that they could smell their pack omega. They worriedly were looking between each other and back at Newt, who stood still next to Chuck.

There was shifting and then the doors finally started to separate.

The maze was always dark, even in the daylight, so it was hard to make out anything. But he didn’t have to. As soon as the doors opened, Newt was sprinting into the maze, his bad leg limping behind him.

And then he saw them. All of them.

Thomas handed Alby over to Minho, and caught Newt as he ran into him, gripping onto the back of the shaking omega.

“You damn bastard, Tommy. I hate you.” Newt’s shivering frame was clutching onto the alpha’s back, hands scratching where the nails were digging in. Thomas felt his heart sink at the sight, tucking the omega’s head to his neck and placing a gentle kiss against Newt’s crown.

“Hey, guys! They’re okay! They’re all okay!” Chuck yelled excitedly as Minho was the first to leave the Maze, Gally running up to him and helping carry Alby. Thomas and Newt following soon after.

The rest of the pack had already woken up and were at the entrance, as they started asking Minho and Thomas question after question.

“You guys are alive!”

“How did you do it?”

“Did you see a griever?”

Thomas answered the last question. “Yeah, we saw one.”

Minho laughed and patted the alpha on the back, his exhausted face stretched into a smile as he looked into the other’s amber eyes. “He didn’t just see a griever. He killed it.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------


End file.
